WASHINGTON (AP) — The House is expected to vote this week on a bill that would authorize $900 billion for military programs, including boosting pay for service members, slashing Pentagon diversity efforts and requiring the release of footage of forces blowing up alleged drug boats.
The National Defense Authorization Act is traditionally a strong bipartisan bill that sets the nation’s defense policies. But it comes to a vote as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faces growing scrutiny over the boat that hit the coast of Venezuela.
The legislators’ concerns are reflected in the compromise bill that came out Sunday from the House Armed Services Committee. While incorporating many of President Donald Trump’s executive orders, the defense bill calls for more accountability on the administration’s campaign against Latin American drug cartels. It also reiterates the United States’ commitment to Europe after intense criticism from allies in Trump’s recently released national security strategy.
The House can vote as early as Wednesday on this year’s NDAA. Here are key things you should know about the account:
Demand for footage of boat attacks
Lawmakers are demanding that the Pentagon turn over unedited video of strikes against drug cartels, threatening to withhold a quarter of Hegseth’s travel budget if it doesn’t.
Congressional committees that oversee the military have been pressing the Pentagon for more answers about the Sept. 2 strike following reports that US forces shot two survivors who clung to the wreckage after their alleged drug-smuggling boat was attacked.
The legislation also requires the Pentagon to provide orders after each attack. Legal experts and some Democrats say the September 2 follow-up strike violated the laws of war, despite the Trump administration’s assertions that the United States is in an armed conflict with drug cartels.
Help for Ukraine
The legislation authorizes $400 million for each of the next two years for the manufacture of weapons to be sent to Ukraine.
The money represents only a small part of Kyiv’s overall needs for its fight against Russia, but it is still a show of support from Congress at a time when Trump’s support for Ukraine has been in doubt.
The bill also requires the Pentagon to provide intelligence support to Ukraine, which the Trump administration had frozen for several weeks earlier this year.
Keeping American troops in Europe, Korea
Congress is trying to reaffirm its commitment to European allies and NATO — a notable position given the Trump administration’s predicament.
One provision in the defense authorization bill requires the Pentagon to keep at least 76,000 troops and major equipment stationed in Europe unless NATO allies are consulted and there is a determination that such a withdrawal is in the interests of the United States.
About 80,000 to 100,000 American troops are generally present on European soil. NATO allies have expressed concern that the Trump administration could drastically reduce their numbers and leave a security vacuum as European countries face an increasingly aggressive Russia.
The Army said in late October that the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division would return to its base in Kentucky as previously planned but that no other US troops would rotate to Europe to replace it.
The Trump administration says it is reviewing its military posture in Europe and elsewhere. In a speech on Saturday, Hegseth criticized previous US policies that “turned American allies into dependents.”
The defense bill also contains a provision to keep US troops stationed in South Korea, setting the minimum requirement at 28,500.
Lack of IVF coverage
The bill is notable for the lack of a provision to expand coverage of in vitro fertilization to active duty personnel. A previous version covered the medical procedure, known as IVF, which helps people facing infertility to build their families.
The rep. Sara Jacobs, Democrat of California, said Sunday that Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson removed her provision in the military health insurance bill to cover IVF for US troops.
“It’s an incredibly selfish and callous move against people who have served and sacrificed so much for us, especially when he and his own staff have access to health care plans that provide IVF coverage,” Jacobs said in a news release.
Johnson’s office did not respond to an email seeking comment. He praised the NDAA in a statement for fulfilling “Trump’s promise of peace through health,” noting that it provides a nearly 4% raise for service members.
Repeal of the Iraq war resolution
The legislation would also end officials for the war in Iraq by revoking the authorization for the 2003 invasion.
Supporters in both the House and Senate say the repeal is crucial to prevent future abuses and to reinforce that Iraq is now a strategic partner of the U.S. Both chambers voted earlier this year to include an amendment in the 2026 defense bill that would repeal the 2002 war resolution.
The 2002 resolution has rarely been used in recent years. But the first Trump administration cited it as part of its legal justification for a 2020 US drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassim Soleimani.
The lifting of the final Syria sanctions
Congress will permanently lift the toughest remaining US sanctions on Syria after the Trump administration lifted many penalties.
Congress had imposed economically crippling sanctions on the country in 2019 to punish former leader Bashar Assad for human rights abuses during the nearly 14-year civil war. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa is seeking to rebuild his nation’s economy after leading a successful rebellion that toppled Assad a year ago.
While the Trump administration has issued temporary waivers on the sanctions known as the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, they can only be permanently repealed by a vote in Congress.
Advocates of a permanent repeal say that international companies are unlikely to invest in projects needed to rebuild the country as long as there is a threat that the sanctions will return.
Reduction in climate and diversity initiatives
The bill makes $1.6 billion in spending cuts related to climate change, the House Armed Services Committee said. The panel does not describe what would be eliminated, but the military has previously invested in hybrid electric ships and plans to adapt to a changing climate.
US military assessments have long found that climate change is a threat to national security, with bases being damaged by hurricanes or routinely flooded.
The bill would also save $40 million by eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion offices, programs and training, the committee said. For example, the position of chief diversity officer is cut.
The Trump administration has ordered climate and DEI programs cut across the federal government.